- [countable] a piece of equipment for talking to people who are not in the same place as you
- I have to make a phone call.
- The phone rang and Pat answered it.
- Can someone answer the phone?
- I hadn't got my phone with me.
- Please switch off your phones before the show begins.
- a phone conversation/interview
- Here is our list of top new phone apps.
British/American phone / call / ringphone / call / ringVerbs- In British English, to phone, to ring and to call are the usual ways of saying to telephone. In North American English the most common word is call, but phone is also used. Speakers of North American English do not say ring. Telephone is formal and is used mainly in British English.
- You can use call or phone call (more formal) in both British English and North American English:
- Were there any phone calls for me?
- How do I make a local call?
- I’ll give you a call tonight.
- I’ll give you a ring tonight.
Extra Examples- Can you get the phone?
- He was called to the phone just as he was leaving.
- His phone is almost permanently engaged.
- I turned on my phone.
- I've lost my phone charger.
- If the phone rings, don't answer it.
- The phone suddenly went dead in the middle of our conversation.
- The phone was busy when I called.
- The phone was ringing off the hook.
- a £30 fine if caught holding a phone while driving
- His phone must be switched off.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- cell
- cellular
- mobile
- …
- be on
- use
- call (somebody on)
- …
- go
- go off
- ring
- …
- number
- book
- directory
- …
- by phone
- on the phone
- over the phone
- …
- [uncountable, singular] the system for talking to somebody else using a phone
- by phone They like to do business by phone.
- on the phone I talk to my family on the phone.
- over the phone I can't talk about this over the phone.
- a phone bill
- They want to put up a new phone mast next to the school.
- Most people only need one phone line.
Express Yourself Leaving a phone messageLeaving a phone messageIf you phone somebody who is not able to take your call, you may need to leave a message:- Could I speak to Jay Black, please?
- Could you give him a message?
- Is there a time that might be good for me to try him again?
- Can you let him know I’ll call back?
- Could you ask him to call me back? My number is…
Extra Examples- I haven't seen her but we spoke over the phone.
- I think our phone is being tapped.
- The modem links the computer to a phone line.
- The search of the phone records yielded nothing.
- We keep in contact by phone but we rarely see each other.
- We spoke on the phone the other day.
- Phone lines in the city had been cut.
- The toll-free phone line is open from 8 : 30 a.m. to 6 : 30 p.m.
- [countable] the part of a landline phone that you hold in your hand and speak into
- to pick up the phone
- to put the phone down
- to take the phone off the hook (= so that no one can call)
Collocations PhonesPhonesMaking and receiving phone callssee also telephone- the phone/telephone rings
- answer/pick up/hang up the phone/telephone
- lift/pick up/hold/replace the receiver
- dial a (phone/extension/wrong) number/an area code
- call somebody/talk (to somebody)/speak (to somebody) on the phone/telephone; from home/work/the office
- make/get/receive a phone call
- take the phone off the hook (= remove the receiver so that the phone does not ring)
- the line is (British English) engaged/ (especially North American English) busy
- the phones have been (North American English) ringing off the hook (= ringing frequently)
- put somebody through/get through to the person you want to speak to
- put somebody on hold (= so that they must wait for the person they want to speak to)
- call from/use a landline
- be/talk on a (both British English) mobile phone/mobile/(especially North American English) cell phone/(informal, especially North American English) cell
- use/answer/call (somebody on)/get a message on your mobile phone/mobile/cell phone/cell
- switch/turn on/off your mobile phone/mobile/cell phone/cell
- charge/recharge your mobile phone/mobile/cell phone/cell
- a mobile/cell phone is on/is off/rings/goes off
- (British English) top up your mobile/cell (phone)
- send/receive a text (message)/an SMS (message)/a fax
- insert/remove/change a SIM card
Extra ExamplesTopics Phones, email and the interneta1- I couldn't get through because you'd left the phone off the hook.
- I grabbed the phone and called Josie's number.
- I hung up the phone when he started shouting at me.
- I picked up the phone receiver and pressed it to my ear.
- She cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder.
- She slammed the phone down in a rage.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- cell
- cellular
- mobile
- …
- be on
- use
- call (somebody on)
- …
- go
- go off
- ring
- …
- number
- book
- directory
- …
- by phone
- on the phone
- over the phone
- …
- -phone(in nouns) an instrument that uses or makes sound
- dictaphone
- xylophone
- -phone(in adjectives and nouns) speaking a particular language; a person who does this
- anglophone
- francophone
- (phonetics) a sound made in speech, especially when not considered as part of the sound system of a particular language compare phoneme
Word Originnoun sense 5 mid 19th cent.: from Greek phōnē ‘sound, voice’.
Idioms
See phone in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee phone in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishbe on the phone
- to be using the phone
- He's been on the phone to Kate for more than an hour.
- She's on the phone at the moment.
- (British English) to have a phone in your home or place of work
- They're not on the phone at the holiday cottage.
Check pronunciation:
phone